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Killing Time in Delhi
Bon vivant Charlie Seth, a privileged denizen of Lutyens’ Delhi, leads a life of idle luxury fuelled by money, drugs, sex and parties. A cocaine overdose kills his ditzy girlfriend, thrusting him into a maelstrom of conspiracy, murder, blackmail and promiscuity. As the world of Crazy Rich Punjabis unravels, Charlie’s future is suddenly at the mercy of an enigmatic woman, an unscrupulous swami, a society-obsessed policeman, a slippery drug pusher and a disloyal valet. The only person who can help him is his missing aunt. Holed up in the country palace that his grandfather had won in a game of cards from a raja on Diwali, Charlie plots his revenge.
Killing Time in Delhi is a brutally funny look into the shenanigans of Delhi’s ultrarich who live in the fast lane and are high on hypocrisy, borrowed money and dubious deals.
- GenresFiction
208 pages, Paperback
Published January 25, 2019
17 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Ravi Shankar Etteth
13 books34 followersOne of India’s most famous cartoonists and journalists, Ravi Shankar Etteth published his first book of short stories The Scream of the Dragonflies in 1996. He then went on to write five novels, The Tiger by The River, The Village of Widows, The Gold of Their Regrets, The Book of Shiva and The Brahmin. They have been translated and published in eight international languages. His books cut across all genres like literary fiction, horror, crime and spirituality and periods like feudal Kerala, Nazi Germany and the Magadha Empire. He also collaborated with artist Paresh Maity on a coffee-table book on Kerala. Etteth is now working on his sixth title, Killing Time in Delhi, which he says is a “a novel on the shenanigans of Delhi's super rich”. A Bollywood film on The Brahmin is also in the works.
Ravi Shankar worked for Indian Express in the 1980s, and later as the Creative Director of the Observer Group. He joined India Today as Art Editor and went on to become its Managing Editor and, later, Editor-at-Large. He also edited the India Today Group’s afternoon paper Today and launched the lifestyle magazine India Today Spice. He was briefly the CEO and Editor and Chief of Voice of India and Millionaire. He is now a columnist and Consulting Editor with The New Indian Express and is based in New Delhi.
Ravi Shankar worked for Indian Express in the 1980s, and later as the Creative Director of the Observer Group. He joined India Today as Art Editor and went on to become its Managing Editor and, later, Editor-at-Large. He also edited the India Today Group’s afternoon paper Today and launched the lifestyle magazine India Today Spice. He was briefly the CEO and Editor and Chief of Voice of India and Millionaire. He is now a columnist and Consulting Editor with The New Indian Express and is based in New Delhi.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 47 reviews
March 23, 2019
Review : Killing Time in Delhi as the title suggests accounts the lifes of the high society of Delhi and the vices that surround them. Filled with dark humor and a certain merciless and raw style of writing makes you fall for the book instantly.
The protagonist Chaitanya,a worthless heir of one of the oldest royally rich families of Delhi is sucked into the messy murder of his gold digging girlfriend. But is that where bad luck for Charlie a.k.a Chaitanya ceases? No. As the plot progresses, the deceit, the lies, the suspicion entangles him in a cobweb of conspiracies.
Killing Time is a hilarious version of the events that follow Charlie's failure to handle the situation he is in and how in doing so he further slips deeper in the quicksand
All the characters were equally enjoyable with their own hyporicsy. Charlie is a stuck up brat who often looks down upon people of lower stature that includes even the policeman. He is potrayed as this judgemental and jobless progeny of a high class family who achieves nothing of his own in life. There were quite a lot of characters that I am not going to mention here, cause I feel it'd be better if you would just get to know them when you read the book.
"Killing Time", I would rather say is not a murder mystery but rather an absurd and subtle comment on how the life cycle progresses in the ultrarich community. It is bestowed with criticism of different classes of society and also exaggerates many a times but keeping the humor intact. The murder is only a prop, I'd say that builds the story and holds it together intact.
Read "Killing Time in Delhi", keeping aside all your partiality and prejudice and you would definitely enjoy it.
I absolutely loved the book.
The protagonist Chaitanya,a worthless heir of one of the oldest royally rich families of Delhi is sucked into the messy murder of his gold digging girlfriend. But is that where bad luck for Charlie a.k.a Chaitanya ceases? No. As the plot progresses, the deceit, the lies, the suspicion entangles him in a cobweb of conspiracies.
Killing Time is a hilarious version of the events that follow Charlie's failure to handle the situation he is in and how in doing so he further slips deeper in the quicksand
All the characters were equally enjoyable with their own hyporicsy. Charlie is a stuck up brat who often looks down upon people of lower stature that includes even the policeman. He is potrayed as this judgemental and jobless progeny of a high class family who achieves nothing of his own in life. There were quite a lot of characters that I am not going to mention here, cause I feel it'd be better if you would just get to know them when you read the book.
"Killing Time", I would rather say is not a murder mystery but rather an absurd and subtle comment on how the life cycle progresses in the ultrarich community. It is bestowed with criticism of different classes of society and also exaggerates many a times but keeping the humor intact. The murder is only a prop, I'd say that builds the story and holds it together intact.
Read "Killing Time in Delhi", keeping aside all your partiality and prejudice and you would definitely enjoy it.
I absolutely loved the book.
April 12, 2019
I had high expectations from 'Killing Time In Delhi' after reading 'The Brahmin' by the same author. But then, success comes in waves and troughs. The blurb appeared promising and I was looking forward to a smashing thriller. But alas! This book was a huge letdown. I really struggled to reach the last page and all I have to say for it is - 'It Killed My Time'
.
Now, let's get to the weak watery plot that has driven me to tears, out of sheer boredom, predictability, zero punches and multiple gaps in the storyline.
Mr Money Bags, debauched Delhi bachelor Chaitanya Seth, fashionably known as Charlie in Delhi's shallow party circles, finds himself in a bit of a mess when his cokehead girlfriend Rita OD's and conks off in his bedroom. Next you know, Charlie heads off to a party where he is ensnared by a dubious female and a fake godman.
Charlie is in for a double whammy when he bumps into a dead body at the party.
Add to this jumble a drug dealer, a corrupt police officer along with a host of other inane characters, and your story kind of starts to limp towards the finish line.
.
Note:
.
This one felt like a Page 3 story stretched too thin. Plot is bland with no effort to weave in tension, which is an essential component of a good thriller. At some point, it felt like a handbook on social hierarchy of Delhi's rich.
.
The only thing going for this book is its gorgeous cover which results in the book being photographed well.
.
In my opinion a total damper
.
Now, let's get to the weak watery plot that has driven me to tears, out of sheer boredom, predictability, zero punches and multiple gaps in the storyline.
Mr Money Bags, debauched Delhi bachelor Chaitanya Seth, fashionably known as Charlie in Delhi's shallow party circles, finds himself in a bit of a mess when his cokehead girlfriend Rita OD's and conks off in his bedroom. Next you know, Charlie heads off to a party where he is ensnared by a dubious female and a fake godman.
Charlie is in for a double whammy when he bumps into a dead body at the party.
Add to this jumble a drug dealer, a corrupt police officer along with a host of other inane characters, and your story kind of starts to limp towards the finish line.
.
Note:
.
This one felt like a Page 3 story stretched too thin. Plot is bland with no effort to weave in tension, which is an essential component of a good thriller. At some point, it felt like a handbook on social hierarchy of Delhi's rich.
.
The only thing going for this book is its gorgeous cover which results in the book being photographed well.
.
In my opinion a total damper
February 22, 2019
|3.5 stars|
Reading about the rich and self-proclaimed famous people wasn’t my thing until I came across this one. ‘Killing Time in Delhi’ screams rich, pretentious and treacherous.
The death of his money sucking, drug addict girlfriend sends Charlie Seth in a frenzy. With family money falling into his lap, Charli knows what the world (more like a typical hi class Delhi Lutyens society) expects of him. But he is unaware of the lemons life is about to throw at him and he doesn’t have a great coping mechanism or a strategy.
Charlie’s life is monotonous, he belongs to a family of scandals, and is trying hard to understand the fools around him, who just want his money. But he is also sassy, adorably clueless and can make some serious accusations in plain sentences.
The rest of the characters are equally interesting. They are certainly unpredictable, mean, and greedy (everything in this book comes back to money).
The plot is pretty simple, and the writing makes up for it. I, personally liked the narration from Charlie’s POV, because it kept the mystery intact. It is a short and quick read and the author did manage to keep my attention (I have the attention span of a bee, Oops!) stuck to the pages.
Reading about the rich and self-proclaimed famous people wasn’t my thing until I came across this one. ‘Killing Time in Delhi’ screams rich, pretentious and treacherous.
The death of his money sucking, drug addict girlfriend sends Charlie Seth in a frenzy. With family money falling into his lap, Charli knows what the world (more like a typical hi class Delhi Lutyens society) expects of him. But he is unaware of the lemons life is about to throw at him and he doesn’t have a great coping mechanism or a strategy.
Charlie’s life is monotonous, he belongs to a family of scandals, and is trying hard to understand the fools around him, who just want his money. But he is also sassy, adorably clueless and can make some serious accusations in plain sentences.
The rest of the characters are equally interesting. They are certainly unpredictable, mean, and greedy (everything in this book comes back to money).
The plot is pretty simple, and the writing makes up for it. I, personally liked the narration from Charlie’s POV, because it kept the mystery intact. It is a short and quick read and the author did manage to keep my attention (I have the attention span of a bee, Oops!) stuck to the pages.
March 8, 2019
Read this book if you love dry humor. The author was bang on all the time. He didn't let the protagonist Charlie, for once, go off the track even after witnessing a murder, an accidental death and being framed for murder, his property being usurped.
Read it for satire on Lutyens Delhi citizens and their parties which is only about dope, liquor and flesh. The sarcasm is dripping from every page like the water dribble from wet hairs.
The story has been structured with a lot of thought. In between the sarcasm and Charlie's mockery, the author seeps in Charlie's real love life, his complex family and its scandal and murder mystery. As a consequence, you will not tire out or bored reading it.
But please don't mistake this book as a murder mystery. Murder is just to spice up things a little. It is more of a satire.
Read more here
https://bookworld.in/killing-time-in-...
Read it for satire on Lutyens Delhi citizens and their parties which is only about dope, liquor and flesh. The sarcasm is dripping from every page like the water dribble from wet hairs.
The story has been structured with a lot of thought. In between the sarcasm and Charlie's mockery, the author seeps in Charlie's real love life, his complex family and its scandal and murder mystery. As a consequence, you will not tire out or bored reading it.
But please don't mistake this book as a murder mystery. Murder is just to spice up things a little. It is more of a satire.
Read more here
https://bookworld.in/killing-time-in-...
May 30, 2019
'Everything has a point, though we don't always know that in the beginning.'
'When things go wrong, love can make you lonely.'
'Fate is a slut who goes shopping 🛍. Never believe everything you hear or see.'
Cover is beautiful. It has been exceptionally designed. It's been such a long time since I've come across such a refine work of art. It strikes a great resemblance to some of the portraits which we encounter during our visits to museums or sacred places. That's the best part I felt about the book, it adds a feather to the cap accompanied by the attractive hardcover.
Title is apt. It has been chosen accordingly.
Often lifestyle pushes us in situations where we lose everything & circumstances are so severe that we lost the only person whom we love or care the most. It clouds one's conscience & devastates it completely. The amount of humor & pain incorporated in the book is worth commenting upon. It has been balanced throughout the book.
As one might see from the blurb, the book talks about murder, revenge, conspiracy, cheating, lies, deceit, immorality, etcetera & certain other factors via it's blurb & description. The book balances both fun & despair, encapsulated with sense of humour, portrays both happiness & sadness in a sappy manner. Written in a satirical way, the book presents us a contemplating thought of the protagonist in a convincing manner who has been cleverly framed in a untimely murder of a girl & gets involved without any choice. What makes matter worse is he's the prime suspect supposedly according to police & the people in the vicinity.
Story talks about crazy rich Punjabis & their exotic life in the busy buzzling guzzling nuzzling city of Delhi. The protagonist of the story is Chaitanya Seth who is commonly known as 'Charlie' by his friends. Charlie finds himself entangled in a dirty mess of murder, revenge, drugs, etc when his girlfriend dies of drug overdose. He's oblivious as to how to how to deal with such & eventually he ends up hiding the body. Sheepishly, there're some unperturbed unpeeled unpredictable unprecedented unprompted unprofessional turn of events which give way to hilarious consequences accompanied by grave circumstances. To make things worse, he is also suspected of a few more murders happening in the vicinity like I mentioned earlier.
Language is fantastic. It's well written with a lot of provoking words, excellent use of vocabulary. The writing style is another best thing about this book which I must commend upon. Narration is witty, humourous, quirky & funny indeed.
It talks on & on about Delhi & gives Delhi-ish vibes. Lays too much of emphasis on the preemptive native society & colloquial references. The inferences drawn around the mindset revolving Delhi which involves objectification of women, irked me upto certain extent. Another drawback I found was, the book uses a lot of obscenity, provocative references pertaining to sex & sexual language. Like this book can never be recommended to teenagers if you ask me. The inferences drawn upon the people who have all the riches in the world & take it for granted, while wasting it all away over drugs, alcohol, women & sex. To make things complicated, the author also used a lot of abusive words, language full of profanity which also led to a huge turnoff for me. Upto a certain extent, erotic language, drama, scenes are fine. But when crossed a certain limits, it exceeds my tolerance level, which this book apparently managed to accomplish!
Anyway, nonetheless, the book is a good onetime read. Especially for those who don't mind reading too much of abusive languages or sexual references.
'When things go wrong, love can make you lonely.'
'Fate is a slut who goes shopping 🛍. Never believe everything you hear or see.'
Cover is beautiful. It has been exceptionally designed. It's been such a long time since I've come across such a refine work of art. It strikes a great resemblance to some of the portraits which we encounter during our visits to museums or sacred places. That's the best part I felt about the book, it adds a feather to the cap accompanied by the attractive hardcover.
Title is apt. It has been chosen accordingly.
Often lifestyle pushes us in situations where we lose everything & circumstances are so severe that we lost the only person whom we love or care the most. It clouds one's conscience & devastates it completely. The amount of humor & pain incorporated in the book is worth commenting upon. It has been balanced throughout the book.
As one might see from the blurb, the book talks about murder, revenge, conspiracy, cheating, lies, deceit, immorality, etcetera & certain other factors via it's blurb & description. The book balances both fun & despair, encapsulated with sense of humour, portrays both happiness & sadness in a sappy manner. Written in a satirical way, the book presents us a contemplating thought of the protagonist in a convincing manner who has been cleverly framed in a untimely murder of a girl & gets involved without any choice. What makes matter worse is he's the prime suspect supposedly according to police & the people in the vicinity.
Story talks about crazy rich Punjabis & their exotic life in the busy buzzling guzzling nuzzling city of Delhi. The protagonist of the story is Chaitanya Seth who is commonly known as 'Charlie' by his friends. Charlie finds himself entangled in a dirty mess of murder, revenge, drugs, etc when his girlfriend dies of drug overdose. He's oblivious as to how to how to deal with such & eventually he ends up hiding the body. Sheepishly, there're some unperturbed unpeeled unpredictable unprecedented unprompted unprofessional turn of events which give way to hilarious consequences accompanied by grave circumstances. To make things worse, he is also suspected of a few more murders happening in the vicinity like I mentioned earlier.
Language is fantastic. It's well written with a lot of provoking words, excellent use of vocabulary. The writing style is another best thing about this book which I must commend upon. Narration is witty, humourous, quirky & funny indeed.
It talks on & on about Delhi & gives Delhi-ish vibes. Lays too much of emphasis on the preemptive native society & colloquial references. The inferences drawn around the mindset revolving Delhi which involves objectification of women, irked me upto certain extent. Another drawback I found was, the book uses a lot of obscenity, provocative references pertaining to sex & sexual language. Like this book can never be recommended to teenagers if you ask me. The inferences drawn upon the people who have all the riches in the world & take it for granted, while wasting it all away over drugs, alcohol, women & sex. To make things complicated, the author also used a lot of abusive words, language full of profanity which also led to a huge turnoff for me. Upto a certain extent, erotic language, drama, scenes are fine. But when crossed a certain limits, it exceeds my tolerance level, which this book apparently managed to accomplish!
Anyway, nonetheless, the book is a good onetime read. Especially for those who don't mind reading too much of abusive languages or sexual references.
April 1, 2019
Set in the capital Delhi, the novel zoomed into the lifestyle of crazy rich denizens. Charlie is one of them, who was 'playing' quite well untill the sudden series of hilarious events occurred! The event changes everything, the characters, colors, shadows & fate in the darker side of the city, where neon is only brightness!
Seductive, psychedelic, cool, funky, handsome, sarcastic, funny, humorous - still I can't describe this book. All I can say it's different, really different!
Don't expect a murder mystery thriller or a whodunit type of thing, this 197 pages long cracker is something unique. Firstly it's a really interesting subject. The author choose a completely different setting from his last year's brilliant 'The Brahmin'. It's quite horrible to absorb the fact that the ultrarich of our capital is just living upon money, sex, drugs & parties. The author dealt with the matter very masterfully. You can get a superbly funny yet coherent look upon their lifestyle & culture. The novel mocks everywhere. The sentences are loaded with sarcasm & irony. The author started it from the title in fact. What a title! He 'trolled' almost all the politicians, police, film actors & practices quite genuinely. Brave attempt man! So it's really funny to inhale the ironies. The use of words from local slang to aristocrats brands were fine. But in course of trying something new, the experienced author didn't forget to add his typical magical writing here. The writing style is mesmerizing as expected.
The characters were also remarkable. Charlie & Mandy undoubtedly were perfect creation. But the author impresses with the side characters like Shamsher, Coke Rao, Nik, piggie everyone (not chow! I filled personally that the flow of that character was little unnatural & forced). Etteth's signature ability to match huge links is evident here also.
Amidst all the chaos & fun, I found a buried sadness, a melancholic overtone, when ever Charlie looked at the Mughal tomb or thought of Asha. Ravi did a fine job by changing the flavor. He quoted -
"Loneliness is neither the lack of a woman nor suddenly wishing you were elsewhere while standing on the deck of a cruise ship with a bimbette, who was invited purely on the merit of her magnificent as. Loneliness is not reading some poetry and getting an ache in your heart either. Loneliness is not even feeling out of place. Loneliness is not belonging to someone or somewhere. it is a nightclub singer with lung cancer. Or a pretty girl who steps into the car and is gone before you can even seen her face."
Brilliant!
The author dealt with some social family taboo lately which was little disturbing for me. Apart from that, the novel was pure brilliance, still that part was also relevant.
Thus mixing multiple genres, the genius storyteller is back with a book, which is completely unique. Give your soul a funky twist with this mesmerizing entertainer.
OVERALL RATING: 4/5
Seductive, psychedelic, cool, funky, handsome, sarcastic, funny, humorous - still I can't describe this book. All I can say it's different, really different!
Don't expect a murder mystery thriller or a whodunit type of thing, this 197 pages long cracker is something unique. Firstly it's a really interesting subject. The author choose a completely different setting from his last year's brilliant 'The Brahmin'. It's quite horrible to absorb the fact that the ultrarich of our capital is just living upon money, sex, drugs & parties. The author dealt with the matter very masterfully. You can get a superbly funny yet coherent look upon their lifestyle & culture. The novel mocks everywhere. The sentences are loaded with sarcasm & irony. The author started it from the title in fact. What a title! He 'trolled' almost all the politicians, police, film actors & practices quite genuinely. Brave attempt man! So it's really funny to inhale the ironies. The use of words from local slang to aristocrats brands were fine. But in course of trying something new, the experienced author didn't forget to add his typical magical writing here. The writing style is mesmerizing as expected.
The characters were also remarkable. Charlie & Mandy undoubtedly were perfect creation. But the author impresses with the side characters like Shamsher, Coke Rao, Nik, piggie everyone (not chow! I filled personally that the flow of that character was little unnatural & forced). Etteth's signature ability to match huge links is evident here also.
Amidst all the chaos & fun, I found a buried sadness, a melancholic overtone, when ever Charlie looked at the Mughal tomb or thought of Asha. Ravi did a fine job by changing the flavor. He quoted -
"Loneliness is neither the lack of a woman nor suddenly wishing you were elsewhere while standing on the deck of a cruise ship with a bimbette, who was invited purely on the merit of her magnificent as. Loneliness is not reading some poetry and getting an ache in your heart either. Loneliness is not even feeling out of place. Loneliness is not belonging to someone or somewhere. it is a nightclub singer with lung cancer. Or a pretty girl who steps into the car and is gone before you can even seen her face."
Brilliant!
The author dealt with some social family taboo lately which was little disturbing for me. Apart from that, the novel was pure brilliance, still that part was also relevant.
Thus mixing multiple genres, the genius storyteller is back with a book, which is completely unique. Give your soul a funky twist with this mesmerizing entertainer.
OVERALL RATING: 4/5
July 18, 2019
Wtf? That's the first thing that came to my mind after I finished reading the last page of this book.
It was a whirlwind of crazy. Do I love it? Yes. Do I hate it? Yes! Was I super frustrated and unsatisfied? Definitely Yes! Then why the hell do I love it? Good question!
The story has everything that screams raw life! Nothing is exaggerated nor is it superficial.
The characters in the plot are just humans, not some crazy gods on their high moral ground.
They make mistakes, they fall in love, they backstab, they plot for revenge, they do everything that normal humans do and are not afraid to embrace their imperfections.
The fact that our guy Charlie isn't one with a spine and isn't a hero whatever the definition of the word may be, is surprisingly more alluring than repulsive.
And seeing him grow and evolve despite everything, makes his perspective of the story bearable.
The only thing about the entire novel that kills me and at the same time is the central essence, is that it shows you what your life is when you're not the one in control, when someone else is driving your half a million dollar Lamborghini and there's nothing you can do about it.
It shows you what life is when your hands are tied, when life just happens to you - on somebody's terms.
I like to think of life as something I can be the architect of, something I can dictate on my own terms and I usually like reading books that reinforce this idea but "Killing time in Delhi" is the complete opposite of it and might I add, very true! Sometimes things just don't work out and we can't be in a fairy-land when that happens.
Inspite of the drugs, booze and parties, this book is heavy if one only cares to read between the lines.
There's some very intelligent humor and observations that show readers what life is for the aristocracy in Delhi.
Coming back to why I have a love-hate relationship with this book. I hate the fact that everything I don't like happens in the story and I also love the fact everything I don't like happens in the story.
Ultimately, this book is what it feels like taking a big hit and getting back up.
It was a whirlwind of crazy. Do I love it? Yes. Do I hate it? Yes! Was I super frustrated and unsatisfied? Definitely Yes! Then why the hell do I love it? Good question!
The story has everything that screams raw life! Nothing is exaggerated nor is it superficial.
The characters in the plot are just humans, not some crazy gods on their high moral ground.
They make mistakes, they fall in love, they backstab, they plot for revenge, they do everything that normal humans do and are not afraid to embrace their imperfections.
The fact that our guy Charlie isn't one with a spine and isn't a hero whatever the definition of the word may be, is surprisingly more alluring than repulsive.
And seeing him grow and evolve despite everything, makes his perspective of the story bearable.
The only thing about the entire novel that kills me and at the same time is the central essence, is that it shows you what your life is when you're not the one in control, when someone else is driving your half a million dollar Lamborghini and there's nothing you can do about it.
It shows you what life is when your hands are tied, when life just happens to you - on somebody's terms.
I like to think of life as something I can be the architect of, something I can dictate on my own terms and I usually like reading books that reinforce this idea but "Killing time in Delhi" is the complete opposite of it and might I add, very true! Sometimes things just don't work out and we can't be in a fairy-land when that happens.
Inspite of the drugs, booze and parties, this book is heavy if one only cares to read between the lines.
There's some very intelligent humor and observations that show readers what life is for the aristocracy in Delhi.
Coming back to why I have a love-hate relationship with this book. I hate the fact that everything I don't like happens in the story and I also love the fact everything I don't like happens in the story.
Ultimately, this book is what it feels like taking a big hit and getting back up.
November 4, 2019
The language is different and the narration too is unusual. The story line didn't make much of a sense. The occasional sense of humor kept me going and prevented me from abandoning the book
July 27, 2019
Absolute page turner, thriller to the core
The first book in a long time I didn't feel like putting down for even a minute. Ravi Shankar Etteth keeps the pace throughout the story making it an absolute pleasure to read page after page. You deserve it sir take a bow.
The first book in a long time I didn't feel like putting down for even a minute. Ravi Shankar Etteth keeps the pace throughout the story making it an absolute pleasure to read page after page. You deserve it sir take a bow.
May 30, 2019
'Everything has a point, though we don't always know that in the beginning.'
'When things go wrong, love can make you lonely.'
'Fate is a slut who goes shopping 🛍. Never believe everything you hear or see.'
Cover is beautiful. It has been exceptionally designed. It's been such a long time since I've come across such a refine work of art. It strikes a great resemblance to some of the portraits which we encounter during our visits to museums or sacred places. That's the best part I felt about the book, it adds a feather to the cap accompanied by the attractive hardcover.
Title is apt. It has been chosen accordingly.
Often lifestyle pushes us in situations where we lose everything & circumstances are so severe that we lost the only person whom we love or care the most. It clouds one's conscience & devastates it completely. The amount of humor & pain incorporated in the book is worth commenting upon. It has been balanced throughout the book.
As one might see from the blurb, the book talks about murder, revenge, conspiracy, cheating, lies, deceit, immorality, etcetera & certain other factors via it's blurb & description. The book balances both fun & despair, encapsulated with sense of humour, portrays both happiness & sadness in a sappy manner. Written in a satirical way, the book presents us a contemplating thought of the protagonist in a convincing manner who has been cleverly framed in a untimely murder of a girl & gets involved without any choice. What makes matter worse is he's the prime suspect supposedly according to police & the people in the vicinity.
Story talks about crazy rich Punjabis & their exotic life in the busy buzzling guzzling nuzzling city of Delhi. The protagonist of the story is Chaitanya Seth who is commonly known as 'Charlie' by his friends. Charlie finds himself entangled in a dirty mess of murder, revenge, drugs, etc when his girlfriend dies of drug overdose. He's oblivious as to how to how to deal with such & eventually he ends up hiding the body. Sheepishly, there're some unperturbed unpeeled unpredictable unprecedented unprompted unprofessional turn of events which give way to hilarious consequences accompanied by grave circumstances. To make things worse, he is also suspected of a few more murders happening in the vicinity like I mentioned earlier.
Language is fantastic. It's well written with a lot of provoking words, excellent use of vocabulary. The writing style is another best thing about this book which I must commend upon. Narration is witty, humourous, quirky & funny indeed.
It talks on & on about Delhi & gives Delhi-ish vibes. Lays too much of emphasis on the preemptive native society & colloquial references. The inferences drawn around the mindset revolving Delhi which involves objectification of women, irked me upto certain extent. Another drawback I found was, the book uses a lot of obscenity, provocative references pertaining to sex & sexual language. Like this book can never be recommended to teenagers if you ask me. The inferences drawn upon the people who have all the riches in the world & take it for granted, while wasting it all away over drugs, alcohol, women & sex. To make things complicated, the author also used a lot of abusive words, language full of profanity which also led to a huge turnoff for me. Upto a certain extent, erotic language, drama, scenes are fine. But when crossed a certain limits, it exceeds my tolerance level, which this book apparently managed to accomplish!
Anyway, nonetheless, the book is a good onetime read. Especially for those who don't mind reading too much of abusive languages or sexual references.
'When things go wrong, love can make you lonely.'
'Fate is a slut who goes shopping 🛍. Never believe everything you hear or see.'
Cover is beautiful. It has been exceptionally designed. It's been such a long time since I've come across such a refine work of art. It strikes a great resemblance to some of the portraits which we encounter during our visits to museums or sacred places. That's the best part I felt about the book, it adds a feather to the cap accompanied by the attractive hardcover.
Title is apt. It has been chosen accordingly.
Often lifestyle pushes us in situations where we lose everything & circumstances are so severe that we lost the only person whom we love or care the most. It clouds one's conscience & devastates it completely. The amount of humor & pain incorporated in the book is worth commenting upon. It has been balanced throughout the book.
As one might see from the blurb, the book talks about murder, revenge, conspiracy, cheating, lies, deceit, immorality, etcetera & certain other factors via it's blurb & description. The book balances both fun & despair, encapsulated with sense of humour, portrays both happiness & sadness in a sappy manner. Written in a satirical way, the book presents us a contemplating thought of the protagonist in a convincing manner who has been cleverly framed in a untimely murder of a girl & gets involved without any choice. What makes matter worse is he's the prime suspect supposedly according to police & the people in the vicinity.
Story talks about crazy rich Punjabis & their exotic life in the busy buzzling guzzling nuzzling city of Delhi. The protagonist of the story is Chaitanya Seth who is commonly known as 'Charlie' by his friends. Charlie finds himself entangled in a dirty mess of murder, revenge, drugs, etc when his girlfriend dies of drug overdose. He's oblivious as to how to how to deal with such & eventually he ends up hiding the body. Sheepishly, there're some unperturbed unpeeled unpredictable unprecedented unprompted unprofessional turn of events which give way to hilarious consequences accompanied by grave circumstances. To make things worse, he is also suspected of a few more murders happening in the vicinity like I mentioned earlier.
Language is fantastic. It's well written with a lot of provoking words, excellent use of vocabulary. The writing style is another best thing about this book which I must commend upon. Narration is witty, humourous, quirky & funny indeed.
It talks on & on about Delhi & gives Delhi-ish vibes. Lays too much of emphasis on the preemptive native society & colloquial references. The inferences drawn around the mindset revolving Delhi which involves objectification of women, irked me upto certain extent. Another drawback I found was, the book uses a lot of obscenity, provocative references pertaining to sex & sexual language. Like this book can never be recommended to teenagers if you ask me. The inferences drawn upon the people who have all the riches in the world & take it for granted, while wasting it all away over drugs, alcohol, women & sex. To make things complicated, the author also used a lot of abusive words, language full of profanity which also led to a huge turnoff for me. Upto a certain extent, erotic language, drama, scenes are fine. But when crossed a certain limits, it exceeds my tolerance level, which this book apparently managed to accomplish!
Anyway, nonetheless, the book is a good onetime read. Especially for those who don't mind reading too much of abusive languages or sexual references.
May 30, 2019
'Everything has a point, though we don't always know that in the beginning.'
'When things go wrong, love can make you lonely.'
'Fate is a slut who goes shopping 🛍. Never believe everything you hear or see.'
Cover is beautiful. It has been exceptionally designed. It's been such a long time since I've come across such a refine work of art. It strikes a great resemblance to some of the portraits which we encounter during our visits to museums or sacred places. That's the best part I felt about the book, it adds a feather to the cap accompanied by the attractive hardcover.
Title is apt. It has been chosen accordingly.
Often lifestyle pushes us in situations where we lose everything & circumstances are so severe that we lost the only person whom we love or care the most. It clouds one's conscience & devastates it completely. The amount of humor & pain incorporated in the book is worth commenting upon. It has been balanced throughout the book.
As one might see from the blurb, the book talks about murder, revenge, conspiracy, cheating, lies, deceit, immorality, etcetera & certain other factors via it's blurb & description. The book balances both fun & despair, encapsulated with sense of humour, portrays both happiness & sadness in a sappy manner. Written in a satirical way, the book presents us a contemplating thought of the protagonist in a convincing manner who has been cleverly framed in a untimely murder of a girl & gets involved without any choice. What makes matter worse is he's the prime suspect supposedly according to police & the people in the vicinity.
Story talks about crazy rich Punjabis & their exotic life in the busy buzzling guzzling nuzzling city of Delhi. The protagonist of the story is Chaitanya Seth who is commonly known as 'Charlie' by his friends. Charlie finds himself entangled in a dirty mess of murder, revenge, drugs, etc when his girlfriend dies of drug overdose. He's oblivious as to how to how to deal with such & eventually he ends up hiding the body. Sheepishly, there're some unperturbed unpeeled unpredictable unprecedented unprompted unprofessional turn of events which give way to hilarious consequences accompanied by grave circumstances. To make things worse, he is also suspected of a few more murders happening in the vicinity like I mentioned earlier.
Language is fantastic. It's well written with a lot of provoking words, excellent use of vocabulary. The writing style is another best thing about this book which I must commend upon. Narration is witty, humourous, quirky & funny indeed.
It talks on & on about Delhi & gives Delhi-ish vibes. Lays too much of emphasis on the preemptive native society & colloquial references. The inferences drawn around the mindset revolving Delhi which involves objectification of women, irked me upto certain extent. Another drawback I found was, the book uses a lot of obscenity, provocative references pertaining to sex & sexual language. Like this book can never be recommended to teenagers if you ask me. The inferences drawn upon the people who have all the riches in the world & take it for granted, while wasting it all away over drugs, alcohol, women & sex. To make things complicated, the author also used a lot of abusive words, language full of profanity which also led to a huge turnoff for me. Upto a certain extent, erotic language, drama, scenes are fine. But when crossed a certain limits, it exceeds my tolerance level, which this book apparently managed to accomplish!
Anyway, nonetheless, the book is a good onetime read. Especially for those who don't mind reading too much of abusive languages or sexual references.
'When things go wrong, love can make you lonely.'
'Fate is a slut who goes shopping 🛍. Never believe everything you hear or see.'
Cover is beautiful. It has been exceptionally designed. It's been such a long time since I've come across such a refine work of art. It strikes a great resemblance to some of the portraits which we encounter during our visits to museums or sacred places. That's the best part I felt about the book, it adds a feather to the cap accompanied by the attractive hardcover.
Title is apt. It has been chosen accordingly.
Often lifestyle pushes us in situations where we lose everything & circumstances are so severe that we lost the only person whom we love or care the most. It clouds one's conscience & devastates it completely. The amount of humor & pain incorporated in the book is worth commenting upon. It has been balanced throughout the book.
As one might see from the blurb, the book talks about murder, revenge, conspiracy, cheating, lies, deceit, immorality, etcetera & certain other factors via it's blurb & description. The book balances both fun & despair, encapsulated with sense of humour, portrays both happiness & sadness in a sappy manner. Written in a satirical way, the book presents us a contemplating thought of the protagonist in a convincing manner who has been cleverly framed in a untimely murder of a girl & gets involved without any choice. What makes matter worse is he's the prime suspect supposedly according to police & the people in the vicinity.
Story talks about crazy rich Punjabis & their exotic life in the busy buzzling guzzling nuzzling city of Delhi. The protagonist of the story is Chaitanya Seth who is commonly known as 'Charlie' by his friends. Charlie finds himself entangled in a dirty mess of murder, revenge, drugs, etc when his girlfriend dies of drug overdose. He's oblivious as to how to how to deal with such & eventually he ends up hiding the body. Sheepishly, there're some unperturbed unpeeled unpredictable unprecedented unprompted unprofessional turn of events which give way to hilarious consequences accompanied by grave circumstances. To make things worse, he is also suspected of a few more murders happening in the vicinity like I mentioned earlier.
Language is fantastic. It's well written with a lot of provoking words, excellent use of vocabulary. The writing style is another best thing about this book which I must commend upon. Narration is witty, humourous, quirky & funny indeed.
It talks on & on about Delhi & gives Delhi-ish vibes. Lays too much of emphasis on the preemptive native society & colloquial references. The inferences drawn around the mindset revolving Delhi which involves objectification of women, irked me upto certain extent. Another drawback I found was, the book uses a lot of obscenity, provocative references pertaining to sex & sexual language. Like this book can never be recommended to teenagers if you ask me. The inferences drawn upon the people who have all the riches in the world & take it for granted, while wasting it all away over drugs, alcohol, women & sex. To make things complicated, the author also used a lot of abusive words, language full of profanity which also led to a huge turnoff for me. Upto a certain extent, erotic language, drama, scenes are fine. But when crossed a certain limits, it exceeds my tolerance level, which this book apparently managed to accomplish!
Anyway, nonetheless, the book is a good onetime read. Especially for those who don't mind reading too much of abusive languages or sexual references.
August 8, 2019
Took this as a random read from my options, and the book certainly exceeded expectations. Till 60% of the book, it's like you can't even understand what the story really is about and what the heck is going on, but later on, the things start to tie up, and you get to see how insane the storyline is. Something totally different from the other books.
One thing which I like the most about this is that the book screams "Delhi" in each and every sentence without fail. A Delhite would probably understand the book 5x better and faster than any normal person, but that's the thing, it's about the culture over there, and it is described as good as it can be. There are endless mentions of brands, the lingo of the circles mentioned, and whatnot.
Though at some times it becomes really difficult to catch on what's being said, being the total Delhi tone, and some explanations about things would've been really helpful, but ignoring those parts works as well. At some places, the things seem utterly illogical, and also, some characters are totally unnecessary for the plot, which makes it look a bit stretched. Hence, a star less.
If you're someone who goes about judging a book by a cover, you're in for a surprise though. In any case, if you want to kill some random time, whether or not in Delhi, this is your book!
One thing which I like the most about this is that the book screams "Delhi" in each and every sentence without fail. A Delhite would probably understand the book 5x better and faster than any normal person, but that's the thing, it's about the culture over there, and it is described as good as it can be. There are endless mentions of brands, the lingo of the circles mentioned, and whatnot.
Though at some times it becomes really difficult to catch on what's being said, being the total Delhi tone, and some explanations about things would've been really helpful, but ignoring those parts works as well. At some places, the things seem utterly illogical, and also, some characters are totally unnecessary for the plot, which makes it look a bit stretched. Hence, a star less.
If you're someone who goes about judging a book by a cover, you're in for a surprise though. In any case, if you want to kill some random time, whether or not in Delhi, this is your book!
March 23, 2019
Killing Time in Delhi was a really fun read for me. I wholeheartedly devoured this book and finished it in actually one sitting.
What I really loved about this book is that while it shows so much about the extravagant and decadent lives of the ultra-rich of Delhi, it is also, for me, a book of art. Because interspersed among all the events in this narrative, are also old tales of such beauty and splendor of times gone y that it was naturally a book that I was bound to enjoy every page of. This mixing of the old world charm and the contemporary Delhi is so subtle and not at all abrupt that I applaud the author for it.
The mystery element in the book, starting for the actual triggering event that seems to start the story, until the very end when the identities and buried secrets (comment if you can understand my meaning) are revealed, is on point. The other elements of the thriller genre are also present here, mixed with some bits of existentialism throughout the book. Again, this existential issue is an underlying theme throughout the entire narrative in my point of view and structurally, I think it plays an important role in defining the people by what they do and why they do what they do.
The characters especially were made in such a way that it felt like we are reading and seeing the world through their eyes. I was so very frustrated with the actions of some of the people that I was ready to bash their heads with the book (that is not to say that I did not like the book). The author has been truly successful in creating these real everyday heroes who are persons in their own rights.
As I reached the end, I was flabbergasted. I could not have guessed the actual story at all – the heart of the mystery – so to say. It was unexpected and I really loved the way the book ended.
Verdict:
I really enjoyed this book and I can only hope that I will be able to read something just as amazing by the author in the future. I heartily rate it a 4/5 stars.
What I really loved about this book is that while it shows so much about the extravagant and decadent lives of the ultra-rich of Delhi, it is also, for me, a book of art. Because interspersed among all the events in this narrative, are also old tales of such beauty and splendor of times gone y that it was naturally a book that I was bound to enjoy every page of. This mixing of the old world charm and the contemporary Delhi is so subtle and not at all abrupt that I applaud the author for it.
The mystery element in the book, starting for the actual triggering event that seems to start the story, until the very end when the identities and buried secrets (comment if you can understand my meaning) are revealed, is on point. The other elements of the thriller genre are also present here, mixed with some bits of existentialism throughout the book. Again, this existential issue is an underlying theme throughout the entire narrative in my point of view and structurally, I think it plays an important role in defining the people by what they do and why they do what they do.
The characters especially were made in such a way that it felt like we are reading and seeing the world through their eyes. I was so very frustrated with the actions of some of the people that I was ready to bash their heads with the book (that is not to say that I did not like the book). The author has been truly successful in creating these real everyday heroes who are persons in their own rights.
As I reached the end, I was flabbergasted. I could not have guessed the actual story at all – the heart of the mystery – so to say. It was unexpected and I really loved the way the book ended.
Verdict:
I really enjoyed this book and I can only hope that I will be able to read something just as amazing by the author in the future. I heartily rate it a 4/5 stars.
March 15, 2019
As the blurb states, the book is about crazy rich Punjabis and life amidst chaotic Delhi. The protagonist of the story is Chaitanya Seth who is called Charlie by his friends. Charlie finds himself entangled in a mess of murder, revenge, drugs, etc when his girlfriend dies of drug overdose. Not knowing how to Dela with the situation his servant helps him hide the body. This leads to hilarious events ahead. He is suspected of a few more murders around. I found the story more interesting after the introduction of the character Mandy.
The narrations are quirky and funny. The writing style is the main highlight of the book. The author is successful in creating the Delhi vibe with the nicknames, the details, just amazing. The best thing I felt about the book was the cover, very attractive and the hardcover just adds to the beauty.
As for why I gave it only 3 stars, the story also made me cringe a lot of times, it’s very difficult for me to understand why people who have all the riches in the world waste their lives over drugs, alcohol and sex. Maybe that’s why took too much time to complete this book. The moment Charlie did something stupid I felt so angry, all I could think was, this is not even a real problem you stupid person, why did you get yourself into this. I had a problem sympathising with the characters because of my pre notions.
But to summarize about the book without any perception or bias, it’s a good read. The narrations and writing style is really good. The characters are well built. The quirky one liners and dark humor make it a fast read.
Do let me know your thoughts if you have read this book.
The narrations are quirky and funny. The writing style is the main highlight of the book. The author is successful in creating the Delhi vibe with the nicknames, the details, just amazing. The best thing I felt about the book was the cover, very attractive and the hardcover just adds to the beauty.
As for why I gave it only 3 stars, the story also made me cringe a lot of times, it’s very difficult for me to understand why people who have all the riches in the world waste their lives over drugs, alcohol and sex. Maybe that’s why took too much time to complete this book. The moment Charlie did something stupid I felt so angry, all I could think was, this is not even a real problem you stupid person, why did you get yourself into this. I had a problem sympathising with the characters because of my pre notions.
But to summarize about the book without any perception or bias, it’s a good read. The narrations and writing style is really good. The characters are well built. The quirky one liners and dark humor make it a fast read.
Do let me know your thoughts if you have read this book.
March 22, 2019
Authored by Ravi Shankar Etteth @ravishankaretteth , KILLING TIME IN DELHI as the title suggests is set in Delhi . The book is published by West land books. @westland_books
Cover looks absolutely stunning with such beautiful illustrations with vivid hues .
Full review on Blog.
Here are few of my thoughts.
_______________________
The lifestyle of a particular section of population is described in this fiction in a story breezy manner that uses lucid language about the ones who are overly wealthy , use their power in different ways , get into messy situations , hypocrictic aunties , sinful desires , money minded ness , lust and whatnot , all are weaved into a tale that makes me see two side of the story in a satirical sarcastic take.
The characters are actually relevant as you can relate to such personas in real life !
Written within 200 pages this book in comes in a hardcover format priced at 599/- which I feel is bit pricey but you can get it at 395/- at amazon India.
The protagonist is a popular wealthy delhiite who gets into a messy situation accused of multiple murders when his girlfriend dies of drug overdose.
It is a book about revenge , drug addiction , lust and more.
The extravagant lives of the snobbish wealthy families are shown with twists.
Narration is fine. Pace is fast and felt good to me.Kind of a different plot . Not a love story or a crime thriller but a blend of many genres.
There are no chapters . One story divided into paragraphs but in one go.
You may check this book out on Amazon.
My rate 3.9/5
Thank you so much @writersmelon
Team for this beautiful book. .
.
Cover looks absolutely stunning with such beautiful illustrations with vivid hues .
Full review on Blog.
Here are few of my thoughts.
_______________________
The lifestyle of a particular section of population is described in this fiction in a story breezy manner that uses lucid language about the ones who are overly wealthy , use their power in different ways , get into messy situations , hypocrictic aunties , sinful desires , money minded ness , lust and whatnot , all are weaved into a tale that makes me see two side of the story in a satirical sarcastic take.
The characters are actually relevant as you can relate to such personas in real life !
Written within 200 pages this book in comes in a hardcover format priced at 599/- which I feel is bit pricey but you can get it at 395/- at amazon India.
The protagonist is a popular wealthy delhiite who gets into a messy situation accused of multiple murders when his girlfriend dies of drug overdose.
It is a book about revenge , drug addiction , lust and more.
The extravagant lives of the snobbish wealthy families are shown with twists.
Narration is fine. Pace is fast and felt good to me.Kind of a different plot . Not a love story or a crime thriller but a blend of many genres.
There are no chapters . One story divided into paragraphs but in one go.
You may check this book out on Amazon.
My rate 3.9/5
Thank you so much @writersmelon
Team for this beautiful book. .
.
February 28, 2019
Name of the book - Killing Time in Delhi by Ravi Shankar Etteth
Stars given - 5 on 5 with some gold biscuits and tea served on platinum plates.
My take on the book -
If anyone had told me before that I would read, let alone like reading about the rich and famous, I would have said - Hell to the freaking no!
Call me mean, but all those 'rich problems' don't seem like problems to me. Had I been rich I would have been like, I am upset - Let's buy a few hundred books and gets lots of puppies and eat some bubble gum pizza and alls happy. But this book made me see my mistake, just cause the rich cry in their ten thousand count handkerchiefs and then sniff some white powder (wink wink) or have some 'grown up' juice with an high alcohol content don't mean they aren't human beings who deserve my sympathy. The sharp wit and sparkling sarcasm of the writer made my day. The cover is gorgeous and catches the eye but the narrative doesn't let you take bathroom breaks. It's needless to say I liked this book, cause I really did. But the question is how will the tea taste in those platinum cups I wonder. I wish I could be friends with the author and get pointers for sharpening my talons and making my work the ultimate thing in sarcasm.
Stars given - 5 on 5 with some gold biscuits and tea served on platinum plates.
My take on the book -
If anyone had told me before that I would read, let alone like reading about the rich and famous, I would have said - Hell to the freaking no!
Call me mean, but all those 'rich problems' don't seem like problems to me. Had I been rich I would have been like, I am upset - Let's buy a few hundred books and gets lots of puppies and eat some bubble gum pizza and alls happy. But this book made me see my mistake, just cause the rich cry in their ten thousand count handkerchiefs and then sniff some white powder (wink wink) or have some 'grown up' juice with an high alcohol content don't mean they aren't human beings who deserve my sympathy. The sharp wit and sparkling sarcasm of the writer made my day. The cover is gorgeous and catches the eye but the narrative doesn't let you take bathroom breaks. It's needless to say I liked this book, cause I really did. But the question is how will the tea taste in those platinum cups I wonder. I wish I could be friends with the author and get pointers for sharpening my talons and making my work the ultimate thing in sarcasm.
March 25, 2019
Killing Time in Delhi by Ravi Shankar Etteth is a thriller which starts with not one but two murders within first few pages itself. Charlie, our protagonist is a rich and kind of snob initially who is super rich and juggling with multiple problems including accusation of a murder. His girlfriend dies of drug overdose and to have a solid alibi, he goes to a party in the same evening to witness one more murder and he ends up becoming the prime suspect of the murder! Now he has to rely on Mandy and Guruji but has his own suspicions on them. To come out of this mess, he sets out to find the truth!
Through this book, author portrays life of urban and super rich section of Delhi society. It’s a satire on elite and super rich people who are pretentious, greedy, selfish, mean and opportunistic enough to change loyalties. Their closets are full of skeletons, heart full of vengeance and life full of drugs, alcohol, parties and affairs. The only thing which ties these people together is money.
Overall it’s an interesting read with dark and dry humor. The unique plot coupled with smooth narration and witty characters makes it a light but good thriller.
My Rating 3.5
Through this book, author portrays life of urban and super rich section of Delhi society. It’s a satire on elite and super rich people who are pretentious, greedy, selfish, mean and opportunistic enough to change loyalties. Their closets are full of skeletons, heart full of vengeance and life full of drugs, alcohol, parties and affairs. The only thing which ties these people together is money.
Overall it’s an interesting read with dark and dry humor. The unique plot coupled with smooth narration and witty characters makes it a light but good thriller.
My Rating 3.5
March 22, 2019
3.5 stars
Thanks to WritersMelon and the publisher for the review copy
The story is told from the POV of Chaitanya Seth who is known as Charlie to everyone. Both of his parents died when he was eleven and he was brought by his Uncle. When he is current girlfriend OD’s in his bedroom Charlie’s whole world falls apart. What happens next? Read to find out
The revelation at the end of the book, didn’t surprise coz I did expect it already. There were times the book made me cringe and times it made me laugh out loud.
It was an engaging read. The plot was predictable and the characters were cliché. Still I enjoyed reading, even though I was reading about a rich spoiled brat. Though the blurb was not my cup of tea, I loved one of the other books by the author so I requested for this one. I never expected to get a hard cover, the cover is colorful and beautiful. I started this book when I was in a slump and this book got me out of it. Maybe because it was different from what I usually read. It is a one time fun read. Ideal for people who love sarcasm.
Thanks to WritersMelon and the publisher for the review copy
The story is told from the POV of Chaitanya Seth who is known as Charlie to everyone. Both of his parents died when he was eleven and he was brought by his Uncle. When he is current girlfriend OD’s in his bedroom Charlie’s whole world falls apart. What happens next? Read to find out
The revelation at the end of the book, didn’t surprise coz I did expect it already. There were times the book made me cringe and times it made me laugh out loud.
It was an engaging read. The plot was predictable and the characters were cliché. Still I enjoyed reading, even though I was reading about a rich spoiled brat. Though the blurb was not my cup of tea, I loved one of the other books by the author so I requested for this one. I never expected to get a hard cover, the cover is colorful and beautiful. I started this book when I was in a slump and this book got me out of it. Maybe because it was different from what I usually read. It is a one time fun read. Ideal for people who love sarcasm.
March 11, 2019
Killing time in Delhi by Ravi Shankar Etteth is one of a different kind of novel in itself.
It talks about murder, revenge through it's Blurb but their is something more to it and that too on the funny and sad side of it. The book also describes it's protagonist Charlie as a rich man but with lot of problems, who is supposed to be prime suspect of murders that happened around. Overall the plot is quite unique and different from what we read in regular novels.
Narration and writing style is that impress me a lot about this book, length is being taken care of properly as well.
Characters are witty, funny and well oriented which adds more fun to the plot.
The cover is also quite attractive and catchy and hardcover adds more perfection to it.
I supposed it to be a sort of murder mystery but instead it is quite entertaining thriller with wittiness in it.
It is a perfect book for readers of every genre.
It talks about murder, revenge through it's Blurb but their is something more to it and that too on the funny and sad side of it. The book also describes it's protagonist Charlie as a rich man but with lot of problems, who is supposed to be prime suspect of murders that happened around. Overall the plot is quite unique and different from what we read in regular novels.
Narration and writing style is that impress me a lot about this book, length is being taken care of properly as well.
Characters are witty, funny and well oriented which adds more fun to the plot.
The cover is also quite attractive and catchy and hardcover adds more perfection to it.
I supposed it to be a sort of murder mystery but instead it is quite entertaining thriller with wittiness in it.
It is a perfect book for readers of every genre.
August 27, 2020
Not a rational one.
September 7, 2021
Delhi's highly privileged and idle Charlie Seth unexpectedly finds himself in the middle of a mystery or rather conspiracy, right after his girlfriend drops dead from a sudden cocaine overdose, while hanging out in his bedroom. That too, at his family mansion which he solely inherited (among plenty other assets), tucked away in the elite neighboring roads of Lodhi Garden, with his own little boastful Mughal sepulchre in his backyard --the centuries dead occupant of which, Charlie enjoys conversing with occasionally.
Killing Time in Delhi starts out as a fun read but loses the plot somewhere down the line. I still enjoyed it, for all it's anecdotes about Delhi life, the unscrupulous elite classes (drugs, sex, parties, networking, blackmail and more), witty dialogues and the mystery the protogonist gets embroiled in, which falls short, but at the very end.
It was a fun casual read, while I really was killing time in Delhi, one winter break.
Killing Time in Delhi starts out as a fun read but loses the plot somewhere down the line. I still enjoyed it, for all it's anecdotes about Delhi life, the unscrupulous elite classes (drugs, sex, parties, networking, blackmail and more), witty dialogues and the mystery the protogonist gets embroiled in, which falls short, but at the very end.
It was a fun casual read, while I really was killing time in Delhi, one winter break.
August 28, 2019
Entertaining!!
This book has quite a scandalous plot line wading through the murky world of Delhi's high society circuit.
I would love to have a life like Charlies! Loads of money in the bank and no work to do! So when bad things start to happen in his life there was a degree of schadenfreude.
What I liked about the book is its pace. It hits the ground running. At no point are any words wasted on unnecessary back stories (a la sacred games), nor any judgements passed on the lives of the rich and famous.
What is...is!
So if you are wanting to kill time anywhere, I would recommend giving this book a read!
This book has quite a scandalous plot line wading through the murky world of Delhi's high society circuit.
I would love to have a life like Charlies! Loads of money in the bank and no work to do! So when bad things start to happen in his life there was a degree of schadenfreude.
What I liked about the book is its pace. It hits the ground running. At no point are any words wasted on unnecessary back stories (a la sacred games), nor any judgements passed on the lives of the rich and famous.
What is...is!
So if you are wanting to kill time anywhere, I would recommend giving this book a read!
January 27, 2020
This Mystery novel is a quick read and gives a glimpse of South Delhi's rich society. It was a moderate read.
This review is spoiler-free...
This book is having a very basic plot like the protagonist falls as a suspect for the things he has not done and in the end, he comes out of it. This event takes place at South Delhi, so it gives a minute glimpse into the way of their lives. There were some twists and turns but they were expected.
This was a 2.5 star read because of the very basic plot, not a fan of writing style and not connected to the protagonist or any other character at all. Because this was 200 pages book I was able to complete it, but throughout the read felt like I don't care about anything.
This review is spoiler-free...
This book is having a very basic plot like the protagonist falls as a suspect for the things he has not done and in the end, he comes out of it. This event takes place at South Delhi, so it gives a minute glimpse into the way of their lives. There were some twists and turns but they were expected.
This was a 2.5 star read because of the very basic plot, not a fan of writing style and not connected to the protagonist or any other character at all. Because this was 200 pages book I was able to complete it, but throughout the read felt like I don't care about anything.
August 2, 2020
Fast paced and satisfying read
I am a second generation Australian with Indian blood that goes back to UP and Rajasthan. For me this was a very entertaining and fascinating read. A fast paced, funny story about the seediness of the elite circles and the complexity of family. Really nice job by the author; I will be looking for more of his work.
I am a second generation Australian with Indian blood that goes back to UP and Rajasthan. For me this was a very entertaining and fascinating read. A fast paced, funny story about the seediness of the elite circles and the complexity of family. Really nice job by the author; I will be looking for more of his work.
August 6, 2019
Pretty meh. Predictable.
August 12, 2019
Waste of time
A story which doesn't have anything going for it from lead characters which are half drawn to the plot which meanders to reach the end. Waste of time.
A story which doesn't have anything going for it from lead characters which are half drawn to the plot which meanders to reach the end. Waste of time.
January 17, 2020
Weirdly entertaining
I picked up this book with no expectations. I found it quite entertaining. The best part was that it had quite a twist.
I picked up this book with no expectations. I found it quite entertaining. The best part was that it had quite a twist.
April 18, 2021
Not an ideal way to kill time.
March 20, 2019
Title: Killing Time In Delhi
Author : Ravi Shankar Etteth
Publisher: Westland Ltd
Published on: 25th January 2019
Binding: Hardcover
ISBN:9789387894815
BLURB
Bon vivant Charlie Seth, a privileged denizen of Lutyens’ Delhi, leads a life of idle luxury fuelled by money, drugs, sex and parties. A cocaine overdose kills his ditzy girlfriend, thrusting him into a maelstrom of conspiracy, murder, blackmail and promiscuity. As the world of Crazy Rich Punjabis unravels, Charlie’s future is suddenly at the mercy of an enigmatic woman, an unscrupulous swami, a society-obsessed policeman, a slippery drug pusher and a disloyal valet. The only person who can help him is his missing aunt. Holed up in the country palace that his grandfather had won in a game of cards from a raja on Diwali, Charlie plots his revenge.
COVER PAGE
The cover page of the book is very attractive and actually I picked this book after seeing the cover page only because it is stunning. The image of the girl on the cover page matches perfectly with the story. The colours used are very dark such as violet, red with the title in bold. I loved the cover page a lot.
REVIEW
After a very long time, I got to read a perfect murder mystery which is filled with suspense. I don't judge a book by its cover but don't know why I picked this book by looking at the cover page which is so attractive and I am glad that I did and read this amazing murder mystery which made me stick to the reading corner. It is truly an entertaining read which I was not able to put down.
Killing Time In Delhi by Ravi Shankar Etteth is set in the Lutyens' Delhi where everything is fuelled by money, drugs, parties etc. The revolves around Charlie whose girlfriend, Rita dies of cocaine overdose and then, he goes to a party where he found a dead body which lead him into a lot of conspiracy, blackmail and promiscuity as he is the prime suspect. And, then enters Mandy who's there to escape Charlie and is dictating his life and he has to follow her. The book is set in Delhi which gave me the insight of the high class world of Delhi which is greedy and involves drugs, parties, money and affairs.
It is a very interesting and a gripping tale filled with dark humour and wit. It is so much filled with suspense that I wasn't able to predict the happenings and it built a lot of tension within me. Initially, the story was moving at a slow pace but after few chapters it picked up pace. One of the best aspects of the the book is the writing style of the author and the crisp narration hooked me till the end as it is different from the usual mystery novels. It is simple but different and I really liked the humour which was dripping at so many points in the story.There are a lot of unexpected twists and turns in the story that are so well described and the events can be very well visualised which made it very engaging. The story line is very intriguing and well crafted that kept me at the edge and till the end I was just guessing the suspect. The climax came as a bomb, a totally unexpected one.
There are a lot of characters in the story. Some are very well developed such as of Charlie while some are just a mystery and this characterisation is very powerful and interesting. It was really fun reading so many interesting characters. Mandy's character is filled with so much mystery while on the other hand; Charlie's character is very open. I really liked the kind of relation they both shared.
Overall, it is a very engaging read that sent chills down my spine. It is very engaging book having elements of love, crime and suspense. And, is a short read which can be easily finished in a day. It is a page turner and I would highly recommend this book to mystery and satire lovers.
*I received a free copy of the book from Writersmelon in exchange of an honest and an unbiased review.
Author : Ravi Shankar Etteth
Publisher: Westland Ltd
Published on: 25th January 2019
Binding: Hardcover
ISBN:9789387894815
BLURB
Bon vivant Charlie Seth, a privileged denizen of Lutyens’ Delhi, leads a life of idle luxury fuelled by money, drugs, sex and parties. A cocaine overdose kills his ditzy girlfriend, thrusting him into a maelstrom of conspiracy, murder, blackmail and promiscuity. As the world of Crazy Rich Punjabis unravels, Charlie’s future is suddenly at the mercy of an enigmatic woman, an unscrupulous swami, a society-obsessed policeman, a slippery drug pusher and a disloyal valet. The only person who can help him is his missing aunt. Holed up in the country palace that his grandfather had won in a game of cards from a raja on Diwali, Charlie plots his revenge.
COVER PAGE
The cover page of the book is very attractive and actually I picked this book after seeing the cover page only because it is stunning. The image of the girl on the cover page matches perfectly with the story. The colours used are very dark such as violet, red with the title in bold. I loved the cover page a lot.
REVIEW
After a very long time, I got to read a perfect murder mystery which is filled with suspense. I don't judge a book by its cover but don't know why I picked this book by looking at the cover page which is so attractive and I am glad that I did and read this amazing murder mystery which made me stick to the reading corner. It is truly an entertaining read which I was not able to put down.
Killing Time In Delhi by Ravi Shankar Etteth is set in the Lutyens' Delhi where everything is fuelled by money, drugs, parties etc. The revolves around Charlie whose girlfriend, Rita dies of cocaine overdose and then, he goes to a party where he found a dead body which lead him into a lot of conspiracy, blackmail and promiscuity as he is the prime suspect. And, then enters Mandy who's there to escape Charlie and is dictating his life and he has to follow her. The book is set in Delhi which gave me the insight of the high class world of Delhi which is greedy and involves drugs, parties, money and affairs.
It is a very interesting and a gripping tale filled with dark humour and wit. It is so much filled with suspense that I wasn't able to predict the happenings and it built a lot of tension within me. Initially, the story was moving at a slow pace but after few chapters it picked up pace. One of the best aspects of the the book is the writing style of the author and the crisp narration hooked me till the end as it is different from the usual mystery novels. It is simple but different and I really liked the humour which was dripping at so many points in the story.There are a lot of unexpected twists and turns in the story that are so well described and the events can be very well visualised which made it very engaging. The story line is very intriguing and well crafted that kept me at the edge and till the end I was just guessing the suspect. The climax came as a bomb, a totally unexpected one.
There are a lot of characters in the story. Some are very well developed such as of Charlie while some are just a mystery and this characterisation is very powerful and interesting. It was really fun reading so many interesting characters. Mandy's character is filled with so much mystery while on the other hand; Charlie's character is very open. I really liked the kind of relation they both shared.
Overall, it is a very engaging read that sent chills down my spine. It is very engaging book having elements of love, crime and suspense. And, is a short read which can be easily finished in a day. It is a page turner and I would highly recommend this book to mystery and satire lovers.
*I received a free copy of the book from Writersmelon in exchange of an honest and an unbiased review.
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